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Monthly Archives: October 2016

This summer we were delighted to be approached by BRIDES magazine who asked us to create some designs for Prince George and Princess Charlotte should they be asked to be page boy and bridesmaid at Pippa Middleton’s forthcoming wedding.

We leapt at the chance and set to work with our illustrator to come up with the perfect outfits.

Pippa Middleton cuts a glamorous figure but is a little more relaxed and casual in style than her sister the Duchess of Cambridge and our designs aimed to reflect this.

We thought Prince George would look adorable in a silk Nehru collar shirt with long shorts and silk cummerbund finished off with a pair of white Converse trainers. The Nehru collared shirt is a nod to Pippa’s well known affection for far flung travels while the more traditional shorts and cummerbund were a nice way to ground the outfit in a more traditional context. The Converse are there to mix it all up and throw a little of Pippa’s irreverence into the look.

We actually proposed two potential designs for Princess Charlotte. The first – as featured in Brides Magazine – is a beautiful silk dress inspired by a style popular in the18th century court of Marie Antoinette. The silk outer has a flattering square neck line finishes with delicate lace trim, net sleeve detail and layers and layers of fine tiered net to create body and a feminine silhouette. We finished it off with a silk sash to match Prince George, ballet shoes and a wreath of fresh daisies in her hair as a nod to Pippa’s wild side.

The second dress we proposed for Princess Charlotte is a less formal but equally beautiful vintage inspired flower girl dress. The simple silhouette is created out of pure fine silk chiffon and features a shirred bodice with delicate embroidered rose details and lightly puffed sleeves. Perfect for the young Princess and simple and chic enough to appeal to Pippa’s innate sense of style. We styled the dress with fresh cream roses in her hair, ballet shoes and a tiny basket of wild strawberries for her to carry.

1. Washing wool is not as terrifying as you would think if done right. If possible always use a brand new plastic wash basin or large mixing bowl as any residual food or cleaning product could harm the delicate yarns. Water should never be hot but instead lukewarm and rather than your usual detergent opt for a gentle baby shampoo or your own hair conditioner and remember do not overly agitate the fabric as you will damage your garment.

2. To dry knitwear it is best left out flat on a bed of towels but do not be tempted to speed up the process by putting it near heat sources such as a radiator as this will almost certainly cause damage.

3. To get rid of the inevitable piling that happens over time take a razor and gently draw it across the garment but be very careful and take it slowly so to avoid causing any holes.

4. When it comes to storing your knitwear until the next winter the first thing you need to do is prepare your storage space. It needs to be hoovered, dusted and wiped down and in order to keep those pesky moths away line it with anti – moth paper and pop in a few scented sachets or cedar balls. You should also consider dry cleaning your items before storage as moths hate this.

Discover our range of winter knitwear for girls here and for boys here.

With autumn in full swing and party season just around the corner we sat down with mother of two and Deputy Editor of Red Magazine Sarah Tomczak, to talk all things glitter, party dresses and what she would like to see next from Wild & Gorgeous…

What do you look for in children’s party wear?

Well I’m probably just as girly as my daughters! I love glitter, yards of tulle and pink, but I’m a bit more particular. I only like certain shades of pink – either a bold neon pink or a really dusty, muted old rose, both of which I put with navy or grey to temper them a bit. I also gravitate to blue a lot because I think something sparkly and blue just feels a bit less obvious. That’s the reason I fell in love with the Degas Moon Dress in silver. It’s the ultimate party dress but the sequins falling away to reveal that dove grey netting is just so romantic and unusual. But equally I’m taken with the Metallic Stardust Skirt and Snap Crackle Jumper in grey because I think it’s a more unusual party choice, yet the fabrics and details amen both pieces super special.

How does girls party wear differ from boys?

I think it’s easier for girls to feel special in party clothes – they’re are so many more options and a giant bow in the hair or a pair of glitter-clad Mary Jane can instant dress up even the simplest outfit. For boys you have to be more subtle (i.e. sequin-free), but I think everyone likes to have clothes that make them feel good.

Do your children love to dress up?

Do they ever!! Coco, my eldest daughter is a complete show pony. Just like me she gravitates to pink and a bit of glitz. It’s already a challenge going shopping with her because she has clear ideas of what she likes, so I find it easier to make the choices myself and slip them into her wardrobe – although we both instantly loved this gorgeous Firework Dress in hot pink and agreed it could be her next party dress.

She also loves the process of styling up an outfit so before a party we put together a couple of ‘looks’ complete with accessories and she chooses which one she’ll wear. I realise I’m making a rod for my own back by doing this, but I love clothes (as does my husband!) and we have fun doing this together. My littlest daughter, Sylvie, is only one, but I’ve already caught her swishing in front of the mirror in a party dress too, so it’s only a matter of time… I love this Baby Marni dress for her because it’s so simple and charming – and because the teal colour is unusual.

What makes them feel special?

I think as much as the lovely clothes, the girls enjoy the process of choosing an outfit – spending that time together and being creative. The other day we were putting away a pile of clean washing and I suggested to Coco we pretended she was a designer and we were hanging up the clothes to restock our shop. She loved it. She has such a vivid imagination and loves role-play, so that is as much part of the fun as the outfit itself.

At Wild and Gorgeous we love to team party wear with scruffy shoes and a ‘Lets not just keep it for best’ approach to dressing up. What is your approach to party wear?

If we’re going to a party, we go all out – party shoes (I love old-school Mary Jane in metallic leather or velvet) are a definite, plus a glitzy dress and usually a big bow too! BUT I also hate to save things for best, and now Coco’s at school I also worry about her growing out of her clothes before she’s really had a chance to wear them, so I’ll definitely dress down her party wear too. I’d put this stardust metallic skirt with a striped Breton top, white Converse and a little denim jacket for an everyday look. I also love glitter shoes with denim dungarees and a little blouse and this snap crackle jumper would look great with cords and Chelsea boots.

Have you veto’d pink for girls or do you allow their inner Barbie to speak?

See above!

We are known for our girls party wear but is there anything else that you would like to see?

One of the things that’s so special about Wild & Gorgeous is the prints – in a sea of Liberty florals they are unique and so beautiful. I love how you’ve translated them into nightwear, but I think they’d also be amazing for kid’s bedding. The Traditional PJs with their brights trims would make the perfect duvet cover and pillow cases…

How do you like to accessorise a party outfit?

I don’t really encourage Coco to pile on bracelets and rings (they always get lost!), but she has a few little necklaces she loves – one is a pair of crocheted cherries so it’s really light and she can put it on herself (she tends to snap chains putting them over her head). Her favourite thing to wear is a headband and she’s totally obsessed with this Sequin Meow Headband, otherwise we tend to keep it simple – less things to lose!